In the Blink of an Eye
by Dana1
Summary: In the blink of an eye everything you've worked three years for can go up in smoke.
1. Knocked Out

Title: In the Blink of an Eye.

Author: Dana

Rating: PG

Warnings: none

Summary: In the blink of an eye everything you've worked three years for can go up in smoke.

Author's note: Takes place the night of Payback 2016

Disclaimer: I don't own anyone you recognize in this fic. They either belong to themselves or WWE.

"Yeah Carmella," Enzo Amore said into the cellphone as he half watched Ryback make a mockery of CM Punk in front of the Chicago crowd. "You know Cass and I got this. We've beaten English and Gotch hundreds of times. We can beat them." He saw his tag team partner Collin "Big Cass" Cassady looking impatient. "Here he'll tell ya himself." He said before handing Cass his phone back.

"Baby we've got this. You just be ready to congratulate me when I get home Wednesday."

Enzo tuned out the rest of what Cass was saying to his girlfriend. Even away the two could be sickeningly in love.

A Production Assistant hurried over to them. "Your match is starting the show." He said and hurried away.

"I gotta go Carmella. I'll call ya after the match." Cass said before hanging up the phone.

"Don't know what she's so worried about," Enzo said. "We've beaten them plenty of times."

"I think she's just disappointed she's not here," Cass said truthfully. "I'm kinda nervous myself. It's our biggest match yet Zo. Way bigger than any of the Takeover shows or Roadblock."

Enzo flashed him a grin. "We've just gotta prove why everyone else is SAWFT. I've got your back and you've got mine. It's us against the WWE. We're going straight to the top," he said sticking his fist out and Cass smacked it.

That was the last thing Enzo remembered from the show.

DDD

Cass could see his partner was nervous as they made their way out to the ring for their tag match. He may have been big talk backstage but the first sign he had that his best friend was nervous was when he dropped his mic. Chicago was a tough city but they seemed to let it go without any mocking chants. The fans absolutely loved Enzo no matter where they went.

He tried not to cringe when Enzo went into his promo. He'd been friends with him for almost three years. He was used to all the crazy things Enzo said. To most people it made no sense but to him it made perfect sense. His tension and nervousness went away as the fans reacted to him. This was a crowd that still hadn't let WWE forget that CM Punk was their boy. They didn't mind telling whoever was in the ring what they thought of them. If they could get the whole arena yelling how you doin? Than everything would be okay.

He let Enzo start as he seemed wound up tight and needed to let off some of the nervousness. His own anger flared up when English tagged in. He and English had a long history with each other. Whether it was in the ring or singing. He truly did not like this man and tagged in as soon as he could.

He worked him over for a little bit before he and Enzo double teamed him. He even got a chance to throw his partner at both Gotch and English. It was a move they did that always worked.

It all went downhill when English hit Enzo with both knees. Enzo went down hard to the mat. He went over to check on him but the ref quickly made him get back.

It was as if in the blink of an eye Gotch threw Enzo out of the ring. Something looked wrong and he heard a thud as Enzo's head hit the edge of the ring and he fell out of the ring. He couldn't see him so he hurried over to make sure that English wouldn't jump him when he was down. He swore he stopped breathing when he saw Enzo unconscious on the floor.

It wasn't the first time Enzo had been knocked for a loop during a match. He remembered a match almost two years ago that Enzo was unconscious when he pinned their opponent but this felt so much different.

He went over and touched his arm but there was no response. The ref tried to make him step back which he tried to do but his worry couldn't keep him back for long. He couldn't believe Gotch tried to move him. did he hate them that much? Couldn't he see Enzo was unconscious?

He barely held back from punching New Day who sat in bean bag chairs eating pizza while his brother in arms lay unconscious only feet away.

He watched as the ringside doctors and EMTs worked on his match. He didn't forget how his girlfriend said on the phone before the match that she had a bad feeling. Was she right?

He couldn't watch as they put a neck brace on and hooked him up to oxygen. What if Enzo had broken his neck? He followed the stretcher to the back not allowed to hold his partner's hand as he was in the way. Not for the first time did he wish he wasn't seven foot tall. He was too big to get in the back of the ambulance.

Before Enzo was put in the ambulance, Cass heard him ask one of the medics what happened. He breathed a sigh of relief. His friend was conscious again.

He watched as his best friend was driven away. He leaned against a wall trying not to cry. Amman went up to him and tried to reassure him but he wouldn't hear any of it. His best friend was hurt and he couldn't do anything to help him. he was supposed to have his back and he had failed. There was no reassurance that could make him feel better.

DDD

Next chapter is the ER.


	2. Realest Guy in the Emergency Room

Notes: Sorry for the delay. My internet at home stopped working on Friday.

Cass walked around All State Arena lost in thought. He and Enzo had ridden to the arena with Sami Zayn so he couldn't get to the hospital until after the match. After a while he grew tired of walking and headed to his dressing room that he had been assigned to that night. He wasn't surprised to hear the phone ringing. He knew Carmella had been watching the match from their home in Florida. he didn't want to answer the phone but knew he had to.

"Hey Carmella," he said not even bothering to look at the caller ID.

"How's Enzo," she demanded as a greeting.

"Don't know yet," Cass said, "he was conscious when they loaded him in the back of the ambulance. It's bad Carmella."

"I swear I nearly had a heart attack when I saw Enzo's eyes. I…I thought he was dead." She said as she started to cry. "The next time I see Gotch he's dead."

"I'm sure it was an accident," Cass tried to reassure her. "He didn't attack him while he was on the floor. Though he did try to pick him up." He muttered under his breath.

"I saw that too," she said before letting off a litany of curse words. "Just keep me posted Colin." She said in a small shaky voice. "I'm worried about Zo."

"Me too Carmella. I should have protected him. before we went out to the ring he said to me: You've got my back and I've got yours. It's us against the WWE. I let him down. I didn't have his back tonight."

"There was no way you could have known he'd get hurt. It was a freak accident. Only one to blame is Gotch."

"Yeah I know Carmella, but I'm scared." His voice dropped as he saw that Kevin Owens had entered the locker room. He appeared to be waiting for him. "Look Carmella I gotta go. I'll call you later." He said before hanging up.

"I'm done for the night," Kevin said. "I'll give you ride to the hospital."

Cass looked at his watch not believing how much time had passed. "Thanks Kevin," he said, "let me get changed." He quickly changed into the suit he had worn to the show. He followed the older Canadian to his rental car. They silently got in. "Thanks again for the ride."

"It's no problem," Kevin said, "I'm worried about Enzo too." He said letting go of the sarcastic tone everyone was used to hearing. "I like Enzo. I think you guys have the skills to get far in the business."

Cass didn't say anything right away." He was lost in thought. He was definitely seeing a different side to Owens but he didn't want to point it out.

They pulled up to the hospital that Enzo had been taken to. Cass got out while Owens went to park the car. He went up to the emergency room desk.

"How may I help you?" the nurse asked.

"I'm here to see Enzo Amore."

The nurse started typing away at the computer in front of her. "I'm sorry sir but I have no Enzo Amore checked in. Are you sure you have the right hospital?"

Cass let out a sigh. He'd given Enzo's wrestling name. He most likely was checked in under his real name. "Try Eric Arendt."

"Found him. He's in room three."

"If a guy with a buzz cut wearing a shirt that says KO comes in, please let him know where I am."

"No problem sir," the nurse said.

Cass walked past the desk and quickly found room three. He pushed the curtain aside and found Enzo sitting up on the gurney in a hospital gown. He hadn't appeared to notice him yet.

"Hey Enzo," Cass said as a greeting, "how you doin?"

Enzo turned around to face him. His eyes were glassy and unfocused but at least he was smiling. "I've got a huge headache and have no idea how I got here, but I'm okay. How you doin?"

"You scared me bro." Cass said, "did anyone tell you what happened?"

"EMT said I hit my head during the match. Don't know why they'd end the match for that."

"Zo you was out cold," Cass said giving him an incredulous look. "You couldn't finish the match."

"Done it before," Enzo said reminding him of the tag match in 2014.

"Yeah well you were outside the ring this time. Even Gotch was afraid to pick you up." It was a lie but he didn't need to know that. "So what did the doctors say?"

"That I've got a concussion. I'm just waiting for them to get back with the test results. Also they said I couldn't drive. Glad you are here man. They'd probably make me stay the night if you weren't." he saw that Kevin was also in the room. "Hey Kevin. Come to make sure I wasn't going to be athreat to being Owen's favorite wreslter?"

Kevin smirked. "You aren't Cena so I think you're safe. Nah I had to make sure your partner got here in one piece."

The curtain parted and a harried looking doctor entered the room. "Well Mr. Arendt, all the test results came back negative. You're a very lucky young man from what was described to me of what happened in your match."

"I always defy the odds and you can't teach that."

Cass groaned. "Zo now's not the time for that."

"Well you have a point," the doctor said with a smile on his face. "I'm going to get the discharge papers ready and you'll be good to go." He started to leave but stopped. "It says you live in Orlando."

"Yeah I'm a pro wrestler. We travel all over the world. I was supposed to head home Wednesday. Why?"

"You've got a severe concussion and flying may not be the best idea for you for the next few days."

"That's fine. I'll just go to RAW and Smackdown tapings and fly home on Wednesday."

"Enzo…" Cass said not believing his best friend was just suggesting that.

"Mr. Arndt that might not be the best idea." The doctor said. "What if you get attacked by someone or something. I'm not familiar with pro wrestling but it seems to be a dangerous sport."

"Nah it's cool. Cass'll protect me."

Like I did tonight. Cass thought to himself. Well if Enzo planned to be at the shows tomorrow and Tuesday, he'd make sure nothing happened to his best friend.


End file.
